(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE) Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) made 30 saves to lead the UNB REDS in a 3-0 shutout of the UPEI Panthers, in Charlottetown, on Saturday night.
The shutout was the second straight for the REDS, who won their ninth consecutive game.
"I think we're just a family on and off the ice," said Woodland, about the team's dynamic this season. "We're taking hits to make plays, and we just love each other, and that's the game changer at the end of the day."
After a slow start, the REDS opened the scoring at 8:49 when Payton Hargreaves (Whitby, ON) battled hard for the puck along the end boards and centred a pass to Lillian George (Nipissing First Nation), who beat Panthers' netminder Shaylin McFarlane (Miramichi, NB).
UNB added another goal with just 18 seconds remaining in the first period when Jorja Nystrom (Leduc, AB) gathered the puck along the boards and sent it to Melanie Drost (Nepean, ON) in the slot. Drost wired a wrist shot past McFarlane to make it 2-0.
The REDS came out of the intermission and quickly drew a penalty that they would capitalize on at 2:12. On the power-play, Myah Bowal (Terrace, BC) took the puck along the boards and centred a pass to Ashley Stratton (Mount Pearl, NL) who floated a shot off the right post and in to extend their lead to 3-0.
The Panthers, now 5-4-0-0, did everything they could in the third period to get back in the game, outshooting their opponent 14-4, with much of the action taking place in the offensive zone. But in the end, they could not solve Woodland, who was phenomenal in the frame. The fifth-year goalie recorded 14 of her 30 saves in the third, notching her first shutout of the season.
"The last time we were in this building, we played in a national championship, so we wanted to uphold that reputation that we had there, and I think we did that tonight," said Woodland, named Subway Player of the Game.
The Panthers look to rebound after the loss as they welcome the Dalhousie Tigers for a Sunday afternoon tilt.
The REDS, now 9-0-0-1, take on the visiting Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues on Wednesday night.
RECAP BY: Thomas Becker/UPEI Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Janessa Hogan/for UPEI Athletics